The first few episodes bombarded me with many plot twists and "shocking revelations" to the point, I started to call the show "soft makjang". So many things happened, I was left in a state of confusion, but it made the show that much better, since the main focus of the drama is the aftermath and the process of healing and re-connecting with the family. We were getting to know the facts with the characters, learning bits and pieces, which helped me empathize with them more. I could understand why they struggled with the new situation, since I myself was confused about what was truly happening.
It touches on subjects such as LGBT, rape (did not happen during the show, but one of the characters was a victim of it, and it played a part in their story), ending a relationship when both sides do not agree on when and how to part ways, misunderstanding based on differences of characters and how you show you care for people.
Through the 3 siblings, we can observe different struggles people face in life. The oldest, Eun Joo and how she always tried to be strong, level headed and control her emotions. The middle sibling Eun Hee, trying to keep the family together and pacify all the sides in times of conflicts, acting as if she is carefree. The youngest Ji Woo, who tries to find himself, learn how to be independent, as he watches his family fight with each other.
I just truly cared for these characters, so when the drama ended, I already missed them. Did I cry? Yes. Not to mention, it has some of the best, natural and well paced romance I watched this year and the best "not a confession" confession scene (you'll know when you see it).
Did anything bother me? Not really. I was not that interested in the Sang Shik and Jin Sook story, and it was the weakest part for me personally, as I was annoyed with some choices both of them were making.
Overall, I have a feeling I might rewatch the show, or at least a few scenes this year. The good set of characters was for sure the core value of it.
Ps. Kim Ji Suk... damn, he fine.
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Good Enough
" My Unfamiliar Family " had loads and loads of drama. One misfortune followed another, as we follow the 'misadventures' of a family with three grown up kids.We are immediatly droped into their family life, at the time when the mother decides to graduate from her marriage, a decision that provoked a series of revealed secrets, dramas and revelations. We get to see what had happened and their relationships, as well as who's who through flashbacks, narrations and some recollections from the main characters. The way that all these were presented was quite interesting, actually, and made the drama pretty intense and exciting.
However, there were times when all these things that kept happening turned the story a bit stuffy and, thus, tiring. The romance was a slow burn love story, that, unfortunately, was rushed in the ending.
Other than that, the performances were top notch and the pacing matched the story perfectly.
So, overall, seven out of ten.
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This review may contain spoilers
A drama full of horrible people and wrong doings
STORY:An old man has a wife and 3 grown up children and they all have communication issues and his wife wants to separate. He has an accident which makes him forget all his souvenirs since he was 22 and he becomes again a loving guy. And his family members start to build bridges and talk to each other again. They all slowly heal in the process. Great. But it was annoying most of the time because most characters reacted and kept on reacting like children which explain their misery well deserved. In the last part I just fast forwarded many scenes as I could not stand many of these people anymore and did not give a damn about how they will end.
Also I did not like how the director made the drama a succession of very short scenes between the characters/group of characters and kept on with that till the end. Plus he sometimes created some fake cliffhangers just to lead the audience. Lousy.
CHARACTERS/CAST:
- Eun Hee. One of the characters I really liked. Because in the beginning she is kind of a bad person who is not very mature and take reckless decisions which make her isolate herself. But it is because she is not confident into herself and she is hurt. When she starts to change herself, she is able to get rid of her pride and apologize and try her best to improve things among the members of her family. She starts a new realtionship and she tries to find her happiness. I thought she was a good person I could sympathize with. I just regret her real "love story" was a bit draggy and lacked a bit of sparkle.
- Chan Hyuk, the friend : He was fun and a great friend, a good confident, a cool guy who cares for others. He is ready to listen to people and he is patient enough to let them make their decision. I found he was a nice character to follow.
- Eun Joo, the older sister: Never liked her. She is cold, she is proud, she thinks so high of herlself, she loves to criticize while dissing people... I thought all the shit happening to her was well deserved. She improved a little and I found she was lucky to meet a guy in the end who is fun and cool and smart enough to know how to handle her poor character and demeanor. The actress was great though.
- Sang Shik, the dad: A terrible man and a terrible husband. Seriously, the guy is unable to see his priorities and responsibilities making his family suffer for years and years without even noticing it till he is old and an accident is his redemption. Or not because his nature remains the same. Good for him. He will die with a smile but he did make his people suffer most of his life.
- Jin Sook, the mother: I thought she was too much of a quiet woman and nerver able to ask for explanation and then she just renounced. I did not like her personality but I can relate as I know some of old asian women who lived like that. In the end, she takes a break and her life becomes brighter. Good for her.
- Ji Woo, the baby brother: He was a little immature but still fun.
- Tae Hyun, the son in Law : I hated him the first moment I saw him. Something weird and annoying about him. We will learn why but it made me hate him even more:. Because of his cowardice, he put the life of many people in troubles and he knew about it since he is the son in Law. I can't understand how a man like him can see himself in a mirror. Or maybe he cannot. Seriously, Lame. In the end, I did not care he was dead or alive. He was just unforgivable.
- Seo Young the Golden goosse staff: She was smart and refereshing to watch.
- I have to mention here Min Woo, Eun Joo's junior who tries to woo her in the last part of the drama. I hated him in Whisper. But here he is full of charm and coolness. He made the last part a lot more bearable for me.
MUSIC:
Nothing special to mention
REWATCH:
Surely not. Not even some scenes.
OVERALL:
This drama is a roller coaster of emotions and I can understand that many people like it. But for some people like me who try to rationalise a lot, I thought most of the emotions created here were born from ignorance, bad or too good intentions, wrong doings, lack of communication skills. Too much of this and it made me dislike the characters and in the end I lost my sympathy for them (the dad, the son in Law, the older sister... ). I do not regret watching it as it has it share of emotions but I did not enjoyed that much.
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This review may contain spoilers
Funny & Somewhat Relatable Family MeloDrama
The first episode hooked me on this drama right away with its nice setup of the characters' personalities and relationships. There was a mix of funny, sad, and interesting moments in that one episode to keep me watching each week. However, around the halfway point of the drama, I started getting bored so I would skip through some moments in the episodes. Soon I even started watching at 2x speed because the characters would speak slowly and the scenes dragged on. Despite this, I would still say that I enjoyed watching this drama and that it was written pretty well. There were some very relatable things said about being a family that made me realize that other families are similar to mine. Though the family's situation is a bit dramatized, it was nice to watch how they unraveled their complicated problems in each episode.Good things I liked:
1. Amazing acting by the entire cast! (they seem like a legit family from the chemistry and interactions they have on-screen)
2. The ending was wrapped up well - I was pleased with how they ended this family's story :)
3. Interesting plot with unique characters and story set up (Eun Joo, Eun Hee, and Ji Woo had personalities different than other siblings I have seen in other dramas)
4. GREAT ost!
5. Relatable things said about being a family (how family don't tell each other everything, but only things they want)
Some things I didn't like:
1. Some moments in the drama passed by so slowly/were boring, hence the 2x speed, but this could just be my own impatience at how the story was going
2. How sometimes I really didn't understand the actions of some characters (Eun Hee dating Geon Joo when he didn't break up with his current gf yet)
3. How it got draggy about Eun Hee and Chan Hyuk's relationship although I can understand why Eun Hee was hesitant (like just date already!)
Overall, this drama was a good watch and although I would not rewatch this, I would recommend if you're looking for an interesting melodrama about an unfamiliar family. I do suggest at least 1.5x speed if you get impatient at the story's pacing because it really gets through the episode faster ;)
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Watch if you want to know what the definition of family is.
I am writing this after having finished the last episode of this incredibly heart touching drama, a drama for those who love honest, realistic stories about life, love and family. Even though I have watched more dramas like this, this one was superbly written, acted and produced. The way the story unfolded was downright brilliant. Throughout the show, you will have many misunderstandings, just like we humans in general have when it comes to our own family. That's what made this drama so special. You feel exactly the same emotion as the observers in the drama when they show you the story through their eyes. But when seeing another perspective, you'll realise that everything we see may not be true.Growing up in a big family, there were so many scenes I could relate to. Often I had tears in my eyes at certain moments, not necessarily out of sadness, but also because this drama made me realize how blessed I am with having a beautiful family. The meaning of family is so well depicted throughout this gem. They showed the watcher that a family is one, but also consists of different individuals having each their problems, personality, wishes and dreams. Especially when it comes to our parents, we tend to forget that they also have secrets and dreams we don't know. A mom is a mom, but also a woman and individual. The same goes for everyone else in a family. This show highlights the importance of communication within a family, but also the importance of knowing yourself and listening to yourself. I don't want to spoil anything, so I'll keep my review short. But for those planning to watch this drama, please give your full attention to every scene. This is not a drama you should watch for entertainment purposes solely. You should watch it if you're willing to live with a family for a short period of time. Because when watching this, it felt so real and authentic as if I could see every scene in front of me. I know this drama will stay with me for a long time and I hope you'll also consider it if you want to watch a drama with a beautiful message.
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A family drama that emphasizes the importance of communication and having strong self-identity
The first half has a lot of plot twists, and introduces the conflicts, while the second half works on resolving them. The pace could be slow in the initial episodes, and it appeared there was a empty space when that happened. However, the plot twists kept you interested; soon, mid-watch, you realize you have become attached to the characters and want to see how they grow through the hardships that come their way. The commendable aspect of the drama the plot was how, despite the makjang-like problems, it let everything play out so naturally, it did not feel cliched, instead making the situations somehow unique to the story. Every characters' struggle was fleshed out well, though I feel the youngest's problems should have been given some more time. With that said, each struggle and problem was a reminder of how important communication within family is, but also how your individuality is just as significant to yourself. I want to point out how well done the ending was - I credit that to great planning and knowing your characters' encompassing struggle. The closure it provided to each character felt like a personal closure as well. Perhaps I should also credit the writer and director for bringing out the best in characters and actors respectively for one to care about them to this extent.The characters' dynamics and the characters themselves were also true to life. They were multi-faceted; you will love them, hate them, and disagree with them. They frustrate and disappoint you with their decisions and attitudes so you will find yourselves reasoning with them behind your screens. Most importantly, however, you will know that many decisions were a product of their insecurities, their placement in their families and other relationships, and so on. The character I struggled to understand and love was Eun Ju, followed by Sang Shik (the father) and Jin Sook (the mother). However, you will also feel the most for these three along the way,
The romantic relationships to look forward to are those of the parents, and Eun Hee and Chan Hyuk. The older couple had the most heartwarming yet insecure beginning, leading to miscommunication and eventual misunderstandings. However, the way they come to resolve them is almost fulfilling to witness. Eun Hee and Chan Hyuk have one of the best transitions from friends-to-lovers I have seen - I will use the word natural once again to describe them. Most of all, you will love the family and enjoy each members' quirks despite the problems they have among them - they all seem to be united almost harmoniously. I personally loved the siblings chemistry with each other. It was refreshing to see a realistic, not overdone bond each had with one another.
Every actor did brilliant. They brought each relationship alive and made it relatable. The siblings' banter was fun witness, reminding me of my own bickering with my family. The varying dynamics of the parent-child and sibling to another sibling was portrayed almost like I were watching a real family. The casting choice was great: each actor seemed to BE the characters.
As for music directing. it was not bad at all, but it was not something I especially looked forward to either. However, the piano intro, and the mostly seamless way music made its way into scenes is appreciable. Moreover, the OSTs were touching and pretty to hear.
I am not sure about the rewatch, but I am sure about watching this at least once.
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I honestly really liked it. I felt that this series was different from so many other family dramas that I’ve seen. Was it this series a part for me was most certainly the land but not only that it was the topics that was covered here. A deviated from the normal family drama in the sense that this one was not about to fight for money and power this one was the real uncut drama that occurs in so many families but you never really see it on TV. To elaborate this series shows how individuals within a family unit often misunderstand each other, How they distance from cells from their love ones and why Comer their hopes for a better life and ultimately the love that they have for their family despite the misunderstandings and hardship.
The ending were well done although I love the happily ever after and everything tied with a bow. I didn’t get that but I got an ending they gave closer and hope for the future. It’s definitely worth a watch.
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Hearwarming Family Drama
I already heard good review about this drama when airing, but just decide to give it a try now (one year later) due to Kim Ji Seok.. I become Kim Ji Seok fan because monthly magazine home. This drama doesn't disappoint at all.. I'm glad I try it now because I will be very curious if follow it when its airing..I find myself crying almost every episode, cause i think it's really relatable with our reality.. It's really easy to missed understand your family, and if that's missed understanding doesn't resolve quickly, it will become poison to your relationship.. I think this drama has very good message to resolve the missed understanding you had with your family or your loved ones, watching it will make you review again your family relationship..
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This review may contain spoilers
Family Means Ohana
My Unfamiliar FamilyThis drama is a pleasant surprise for me and I’m sure is relatable to a lot of the viewers too because it’s all about family. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them.
I didn’t expect too much at first. I was interested because it got a bit of ‘Our Blues’ vibes. And ‘Our Blues’ drama is a masterpiece for me.
But then I got hooked since the first episode. The story is flowing nicely, although some people might find the pace a bit too slow for their liking. But I think it’s because this drama gives plenty of time to introduce the characters and then for all the characters to understand their own feelings and learning new things about themselves.
And I don’t think this is a makjang drama, because this is about ordinary people with daily hardship and struggle.
Contrary to lots of the comments in this page, I actually admire Choo Ja Hyun’s performance as Eun Joo (the eldest daughter). I enjoy her expressionless expression, with only her eyes betrayed her emotions, which is not easy to act. I know some people who’s like her, and I think sometimes I also behave like her.
Also kudos to Jung Jin Young (Kim Sang Shik, the father), he really delivered his characters. How he changed his personality from a bitter 60 years old to a smitten 22 years old man.
Of course Eun Hee and Chan Hyuk are adorable and a delight to watch, we cherish their friendship. And then the ‘friends-to-lovers’ transition were done smoothly, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Nothing cringy.
About Eun Joo’s husband also is not something rare in this age and era. I personally know some people who experience the same thing in their marriage. And it’s the lies and deception that hurt the most. This drama touch this issue with confidence and empathy.
I also notice that lots of things were subtly implied in this drama, not everything is spelled out.
Like one of the last scene that’s heartwarming is when Yoo Min Woo (Eun Joo’s ex-trainee-turns-to-colleague) is comfortably asking Eun Joo’s advice and opinion. He knows that Eun Joo LOVES giving advice and her opinions, lol. And Eun Joo finally learned to restrain herself from giving unasked harsh judgment.
All characters have their own development. And they will understand that: Being a family doesn’t mean we will always see eye to eye, we disagree more than we agree on something.
But being a family means acceptance and what’s more important is just being there for each other.
There are a few things that prevent me from giving a full score.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
One, I don’t like that it was Eun Hee’s CEO who’s been emailing with her for a long time, under a disguise name. That’s creepy as hell.
Two: the relationship between Eun Hee and the CEO, how the CEO taking advantage of Eun Hee drunkenness for their encounter and in general his cheating behavior. But I guess that’s one of the themes of this drama. The dishonesty.
Three: Sang Shik had a brain surgery, but they didn’t even shave his head pre-surgery or put a bandage afterward. Well it’s not Hospital Playlist I know, but I wish they paid more attention to this detail because it’s an important plot in this drama.
I love the OST and the background music, they play it at the right time and nothing excessive.
Two sweet songs that stand out are ‘Family’ by BUMKEY and ‘When We Were Close’ by Kang Seung Sik.
All in all it’s an underrated drama, try to watch it at their pace and enjoy all the feelings and emotions this drama will give you.
This drama makes me miss my family even more.
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1This review may contain spoilers
WARNING: THE REVIEW CONTAINS SOME MAJOR SPOILERS, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.Oh, this drama. I do feel kind of sad now that I have finished it, because I got attached to some of the characters and I will, for sure, dearly miss them. However, I can't lie that I got a little bit tired towards the end and I was waiting with a slight excitement to finish the show.
I think the best thing about The Unfamiliar Family is its amazing characters. During these 16 episodes, you grow to love the characters, to understand them and to accept them and their flaws. And that's not all about it, the characters also did grow to understand each other and accept their different point of views. And it was so important because they had to face so many difficult situations. Eun Joo, for example, my poor girl. She seemed like a strong woman at the beginning with her cold stare and poker face, but when her life crumbled, we all saw how weak and lonely she is. She had to divorce her husband because he came out as gay and found out she had been lied to for all these years by the person she actually truly loved. And on top of that, she found out that her father is not her biological father. She had it really hard and my heart ached for her. Her character development was such a pleasure to watch though and Choo Ja Hyun was brilliant at playing her complex character.
The thing I don't like about this drama... At some point it became so dramatic, so makjang-ish. So many sh*t happened at once and I just couldn't get emotionally attached because everything was served at once and it was lowkey laughable. There are so many plot twists in this show, a secret hides behing every angle. I do understand that what happened had to happen because after that, we could see the so many heart-warming scenes between the family. But still, the pace in the middle was not that good. The overall pace of the story, though, was actually nice and it was typical for this type of show.
The acting was good overall, Han Ye Ri's and Choo Ja Hyun's perfeormances are my favourite, the girls did an amazing job. It's a well-chosen cast for sure. I don't quite know why the drama doesn't have romance as one of the genres when there's, in fact, a very beautiful romantic stories in the show. They are not the main plot, but they are quite there.
Overall, a good family drama with well-written characters. I love how they didn't make it a long family drama and drag things out, it's nice as it is.
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This review may contain spoilers
Contrary to other reviewers, I felt very little sympathy for Eun Hee, and appreciated her sister quite a bit. I don't mind cold and dominant female character, particularly when they don't bs around, while I mind someone with a sob story acting timidly and then becoming the very thing she hates (the caveat being revenge, but here she does it against someone that never did anything to her, more on this later). Her sister's husband at least had the excuse that he couldn't change his nature (though that's not a blank check to do whatever he wants), while in her case, the affair was entirely superfluous, given her sleazy boss would soon leave his ex anyway -there was no reason to demean herself and become the scum she hated and broke things off with her long time friend over, by being willing to hurt and humiliate someone she had never met over a whim-.I felt zero sympathy for Eun Hee, given that she was completely ready to hurt and humiliate someone she had never met and that had never done anything to her, for a self absorbed whim. She was not head over heels for her boss (not that it would have changed anything), she had just started the unwise choice of sleeping with him without knowing he was involved with someone else. Once she knew, there was no reason to continue the affair, or even for this to be an affair, given he could have broken off things with his girlfriend, which he did shortly after. This is in the context of her having broken things off with her long time friend and ultimate "lover" exactly because he was civil to her cheating ex and his "other gf", who they correctly considered scum. Then I am supposed to treat her seriously when she becomes the "other woman" she hates for the sake of someone who objectively speaking was much worse than even her ex (a serial cheater, a boss that would not only bed his new subordinate, but even try to touch and bed a drunken coworker, which was creepily rapey)
The fact that people do this in real life is really not the point. More poignantly, *some* people do this in real life, while others (the majority, statistically speaking) never do nor would consider. Her friend/lover being one of them. See her cheating boyfriend that everyone treats, correctly, like a scumbag. The fact that such people exist is really a non sequitur. So do wife beating drunks. Or serial cheaters like her boss (if that was not creepy enough, the allegation of his rape-y attempt to take advantage of a drunken colleague certainly was).
I don't see her not caring about the rumors as a sign of courage and taking responsibility for her own actions, on the contrary the use of the word "bold" makes it seem like she thinks this is brave of her, rather than she understand how shameful her behavior was. Taking responsibility for her actions would have involved actually apologizing to his ex girlfriend (who had some empathy for: given the fact Eun Hee didn't care at all about her well-being, it's hard to see why she should *not* have told her exactly, in clear terms, how little she thought of her; more generally, wrt her being vindictive, this was her attitude towards someone she correctly saw as an enemy who didn't care a bit about her suffering, in order to satisfy a whim, and if she didn't care about hurting her, it's hard to see why she should show her any consideration... that said, I don't like this attempt to "fight" for the sleaze, particularly given how she, rather absurdly, said he had a "habit" of "cheating on her a bit" (like being a little bit pregnant or drinking a bit of poison... it's almost as if she is saying that he has a bait of walking a bit after dinner: this to me speaks of low self worth). And why would she even try to get him back? No seriously, but why though? A serial cheater and a sleaze that not only sleeps with a new subordinate, but allegedly in a rapey fashion tries to put his hands on and follow/bed a drunken coworker?
Regarding the rumors, ultimately, a scumbag, say a corrupt politician, brazenly flauting their bribes without caring for the rumors is not an admirable thing, nor is it taking responsibility in any adult sense. So in the case of her ex boyfriend or her current sleazy boss not caring of the rumors caused by their affairs. So with her hurting someone she didn't even knew for a whim.
In short, any sympathy I felt for her for her boyfriend's disgusting actions went out of the window when I saw her behave in exactly the same way (anyone with a shred of self respect and sense the sleaze she had been dating when he told her he was in a long term relationship would have bailed... then again, if this is the kind of person she turned out to be when the rubber met the road, probably low self worth is not a wrong feelings to have). Her boss was a creep, and I didn't like that they kept any sort of contact after their breakup.
All in all, I didn't think she deserved her friend/real lover at all. Not because she did anything *to* him, but because she was the kind of person that would hurt and humiliate someone she didn't know for a whim, while he was someone that would never even consider this (and he told her as much, not to mention chasing away her ex's other gf and beating her ex bf up, and correctly considering the two of them as scum). So, he obviously deserves to be with someone with the same conviction (and statistically speaking, most people are -even without her experiences with cheating, anyone with just a shred of self respect or a barely functioning moral compass would have broken things off once she was told the boss was in a relationship-). That she is exactly this kind of person (who, in the form of her ex's other woman, he and Hee correctly regarded as scum) does not bode well for the future and makes her rather unsuitable for him. He deserves someone that, like him, would never entertain this, and most people he could chose, statistically speaking, wouldn't.
Actually, we can add her sleazy/rapey boss being in her life after the breakup, without really having to own up to his actions in any concrete way, having everything he did swept under the rug, and thus ending up in the "circle" her long time friend would have to be in if he was in a relationship with her, as another reason I don't particularly like the idea of Chan Hyuk being with her. Again, we know what he thinks of such people. The same thing Hee thought about them, when he was their victim, before turning into what she hated for no reason at all.
The fact I didn't like Hee made me like her cold/calculating sister. I can see how the fact her husband was gay could have made things easier for her, because it was out of her hands. Related specifically to the sexuality bit, I sympathized with the husband, though this is not an endorsement of his entire behavior.
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Unusual family drama, Realistic characters, melo
The best part about this drama is that it is not super long like the other family dramas. It is a family drama with the usual 16 episodes, but still has a few over the top melodramatic happenings.Tldr; Overall it is a good drama if you like family dramas but don't want to waste your time on 50 episodes and don't really want it to be PG. It also underlines the fact that people are not all good or all bad, there are grey shades in everyone and that's what makes the characters seems more realistic and easily relatable.
The parents' story is all about misunderstandings and absence of communication. The mother is weak, as she has been hiding her past forever, and sacrificing her life for her family. The father used to be a good loving husband, but is put through the wringer of life and also has some unresolved mental issues due to his inferiority complex. The kids are all grown up and busy with their lives, each having problems of their own. All of them try to cope with everything that life is throwing at them and still maintain some amount of sanity in their daily lives.
Some funny scenes here and there are a relief when you are watching such a highly emotional drama, this one has a few of them so you aren't emotionally drained. The main couple's love story also progresses naturally over the course of the drama and its sweet to watch them. If friends to lovers is your trope then this drama will keep you engaged. Also the parents' love story is cute too, once they get over all the misunderstandings and have some sort of communication between them.
The characters played by Han Ye-Ri and Kim Ji-Suk both are so lovely, its a treat to watch their scenes... They have been long time friends, they discuss everything in their lives with each other, him being the support system for her outside of her family, how everything they do revolves around their shared past and their longing to be in each other's present and future.
I liked the acting by the eldest daughter too, her character is not very friendly and easily un-likeable, but she did a very good job of portraying the emotions. Likewise the father, he has also got a very dislikable character but his acting is gold, the way he goes from being the rude middle aged man to a sparkly youngster is very refreshing and interesting to watch. The second lead's character annoys you at first, but then later on you accept him being around as he keeps his distance. All the secondary characters are also very good and the actors do it really well. Wort mentioning are the youngest brother, elder daughter's husband, father's truck driving friend, etc.
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